The sudden eruptions of gunfire and flashes of light were disorienting. The small red and black Umbreon struggled to keep up with his parents as they ran through alleyway after alleyway, keeping to the shadows.

"Mama?" he whimpered softly.

"Shhh. We must be very quiet, now," she replied, turning her head from side to side, listening and looking.

Silent once again, the trio slipped into a small side street. A sudden explosion roared behind them, and the flickering red light of a fire caused their shadows to dance before them. They slipped between two dumpsters, cowering, as heavy, black boots thundered past.

"Mama, I'm scared," the little Umbreon whispered, wide eyes locked on the procession of human soldiers.

"Shiara, get that boy to be quiet," his father hissed.

"Shade, we can't talk anymore," she murmured. "I know! How about we play the silent game! The first one to talk loses."

Shade nodded. They spent the next few moments in tense silence, until his father let out a sigh of relief.

"They've passed us by. Come on," he whispered urgently.

The trio crept out from their hiding place and started in the opposite direction the humans had gone.

"There!" a voice cried. Two gloved hands grabbed Shade's parents by the scruffs of their necks and held them up. Shade watched in horror as they were brought up to eye level of a full-grown human male. Another pair of hands reached for Shade, but he kicked sand into his attacker's eyes and wormed his way under a dumpster. The human cursed and started after him, but a stern voice barked a command, and the pair of dirty shoes retreated.

"Shade!" he heard his mother cry. "Shade, I lov-" The rest of her words were cut off by a gunshot. Shade flinched.

"Shiara!" his father howled. Shade heard a scuffle as his father struggled against his captors. "Shiara, no!" A second gunshot rang out.

"Let's go claim the rewards for these beauties," a human voice said. "What do you think, 2000 Pokés for the female, 2500 for the male?" The voices faded as the men walked away.

The moment their voices had faded, Shade squirmed out from under the garbage bin, grubby and quivering. "Mama? Papa?"

"They're gone, kid," a gentle but stern voice said.

Shade whirled, and saw a Persian slip out from behind a black trash bag. Shade's eyes flicked to his legs. One was missing. Shade looked back up, and found himself cowering under the Pokémon's intense stare.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," the Persian said, slightly softer this time. He limped over to the kit.

"Where's my mama and papa?" Shade asked pitifully, edging backwards, away from the approaching Pokémon.

The Persian stopped advancing. "They're gone, kid. Taken by a bunch of bounty hunters. They won't be coming back." Shade whimpered again, shuddering.

The Persian sat and began grooming himself, waiting for the Umbreon's breathing to slow. When he seemed to have calmed enough, the Persian opened one eye, looking him over. "You have a name, kid?"

"Shade," he replied, a tear tracing a path down his dirty cheek.

The Persian leaned forward. Shade tensed, ready to bolt, but he tenderly butted his head under Shade's chin. "We'll, I'd have to be a heartless old codger to leave you to the Baggers. Tell you what, how about you come with me? I'm not as young as I once was, and I need someone to do the scavenging for me. That was really clever of ya, using Sand-Attack to escape those Baggers. Shade, you said your name was?"

Shade nodded and followed the Persian as he started down the alleyway.

"I'm called Butch. I see a good partnership ahead of us, my friend."